A/N: Written for two challenges.
The Restricted Collection Challenge. Restriction: no less than 500 words
Occasion-a-Day Challenge/Competition. Day 23: Restless Legs Awareness Day. Prompt: write something set at St. Mungo's
For her first day on the job at St. Mungo's Hospital, Katie Bell thought she'd done quite well. She'd been through a lot of training and had been more than ready to start working. Today had been the first day she was able to work on her own, but still as a Trainee Healer and under the watchful eye of the Healer-in-Charge on her assigned floor.
She'd been sent to Artifact Accidents, which had been very busy. Broom accidents, cauldron explosions, wand mishaps, and a few incidents with enchanted household items had filled her day. She'd healed more cuts, minor burns, and broken bones than she could keep track of properly. As much as she enjoyed helping people and making them feel better, she was absolutely exhausted. There was only another half hour to get through and then she could go home.
"Miss Bell," the Healer-in-Charge, Matilda Barlow, said as she tapped Katie on the shoulder. Katie turned to face her. "I've a patient waiting for you in room five. Quidditch accident. Poor bloke got hit in the head by a Bludger."
"Thank you, Mrs. Barlow," Katie said. "I'll look in on him straight away." She stifled a yawn as she headed for room five, which wasn't far. She knocked twice before entering.
"Good evening, my name is -" Katie stopped short as she saw who was sitting on the edge of the bed in the room. She recognized him even around the bloodstained cloth he was holding against his right eye.
"Fancy meeting you here, Katie." Oliver Wood was someone she didn't think she'd ever see again. She'd once had a bit of a crush on her old Quidditch captain, but hadn't acted on her feelings. The timing never felt quite right. She hadn't thought anything about it since he'd left Hogwarts.
"I wondered when I'd see you in here with some Quidditch injury or other." She walked over to the bed, standing in front of him so he could see her better with his good eye.
"Are you questioning my Quidditch skills?" he asked, laughing and then wincing. "Please, don't make me laugh. It hurts something fierce."
"Not questioning your Quidditch skills, Captain, just implying that you're a tad injury prone," she said, smiling. "Now, want to tell me what happened?"
"We were practicing for our match against Bulgaria - their Beaters are quite brutal - and I didn't dodge as quickly as I should've. Bludger hit me in the eye quite hard."
"You didn't have a Healer on hand?" This seemed rather odd to her. Every Quidditch team employed at least one Healer.
"Not for practice, no. There's not usually a reason for anyone to need healing during practice."
"I'd say you have a reason now. And no one came in with you?"
"Well, yeah actually." He pointed at the door with his free hand. "Team captain brought me, but he's a bit squeamish about blood. I figured he'd be better off waiting out in the reception area."
"That's probably for the best. I wouldn't want to have two of you to take care of at once. Alright, let's see what the damage is." He slowly removed the cloth to reveal a fair amount of blood around his eye and a sizeable gash just above his eyebrow. Blood trickled slowly out of it and down the side of his face.
"Well, it looks like your eyebrow took the direct hit," she said as she looked the injury over carefully. "It looks pretty deep, but I should be able to fix it with no problem." She pointed her wand at the gash and within seconds, it was closed up and she cleaned up the blood on his face.
"Can you see normally out of that eye? That should do it then," she said when he nodded. "It'll probably be tender for a day or two, and you might have a decent bruise, but I don't think you'll miss out on any matches. Just come back if you have any problems with your vision in that eye."
"Katie, you're brilliant." He hopped off the bed. "I owe you one."
"It's my job, Oliver," she said, waving a hand at him in dismissal.
"Fine then, I don't owe you one. But how'd you like to get dinner some time?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Just as old friends catching up after years apart," he quickly added.
She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. It was funny how time could change things. She used to be nervous around him and could only talk to him normally if there were others around, otherwise she had been shy. Now here she was, joking around with him and talking like he was a good friend instead of one she'd not had contact with for seven years. Maybe now was the right time.
"Alright," she said. "I'd like that."